Book and pamphlet holder



1960 w. M. TRICK, JR

BOOK AND PAMPHLET HOLDER Filed May 26, 1958 INVENTOR.

GK, JR.

4 7' TOR/V5 Y M 5 W H W 2,921,402 I BOOK AND PAMPHLET HOLDER Wilkins M. Trick, In, Yucaipa, Calif. Application May 26, 1958, Serial No. 737,686

4 Claims. (Cl. 45-57) This invention relates to a book holder and a study aid. More particularly, it relates to a device for holding simultaneously both a textbook that is to be studied and a study-guide pamphlet giving a list of references to be looked up in the'textbo'ok. This invention also serves as a lapboard makin'g'it easy to study such books while sitting in an easy chair, an automobile, an outdoor chair, and other places without needing a table or other support for the books.

The article of this inventionhas many uses. It can be used for schoolwork where an assignment book or book of citations is used with one or several books wherein the citations occur. It can be used in single-person proofreading. It is helpful for checking legal briefs against cited cases.

However, one particular area of usefulness is outstanding. Many people study the Bible or-other religious books daily, and in their study have found it extremely helpful to use prepared Biblelessons which list a series of passages in the Bible, referring to them by book, chapter, and verse. The problem is to be able to hold the Bible and the lesson-citation, pamphlet where one can readily look from one to the other without having to sit at a desk. One following such citations finds that distractions can be reduced v and the study made much easier by holding the citation-containing pamphlet directly above the Bible or other textbooks and at the same eye angle. To have to look away, to one side or the other, to find the next citation to be read, is annoying This is especially true where the user is to read a set of verses such as verses 2, 3, 7, 9, l0-15, and 20-22, where the reader has to make frequent references to the pamphlet, find the next citation, then come back to the Bible and find the cited verse.

The problem is presented when relaxed study in an easy chair is desired. The problem is intensified when traveling. A passenger in an automobile, bus, train, of airplane can rarely find a place to rest the citation pamphlet while holding the book. I I

Another, problem is the tendency of the pages of the citation-listing pamphlet to turn. This means a search to relocate the right page in the pamphlet, with a resultant lossfof continuity of thought.

One'obiect of this inventionis to provide a device for holding a textbook and referencing pamphlet in one hand, or on the lap, leaving at least one hand free to turn pages and find the citations.

Another object is to provide a lapboard-like article that holds the citation-listing pamphlet in a fixed position during the study time and also supports the study book in proper alignment adjacent thereto so that a short glance up is sufiicient to find what the next citation is or to check on the citation currently being pursued. This requires substantially no refocusing of the eyes, for the book and pamphlet'are substantially equidistant from the eyes.

A further object is to provide a study aid of the type described that is easy to pack when traveling. The device Patented Jan. 19, 196.0

is substantially flat and will fit in a bookcase, suitcase, or traveling bag very easily.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will make themselves apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing the device as it would actually be used with a textbook and a studyguide pamphlet resting on it and the hands sketched in.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but without the textbook or pamphlet.

Fig. 3 is an end view in section taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view in section taken along the lines 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of anupper corner prior to completion.

The article 10 of this invention comprises a substantially flat, rectangular, lapboard-like base 11, preferably made of rather stiff but somewhat flexible material resembling a typical cloth bookbinding. For example, it maybe made of cardboard 12 covered with bookbinding cloth 13, or with bookbinding leather or leather substitute. Stiffness but not absolute rigidity is normally desired, but the cardboard 12 may be replaced by metal or a plastic sheet, if desired, and for some materials the covering 13 may be omitted, although it usually imparts a pleasing appearance and gives a surface that is pleasant to the touch. Preferably, the base 11 is provided with a central crease 14 running from the top edge 15 to the bottom edge 16 and parallel to and midway between the side edges 17 and 18. As a result, the base 11 has a slight dihedral, which is shown only slightly exaggerated (due to the necessity for exaggerating the thicknesses concerned) in Figs. 3 and 4; this structure provides a natural channel that gives better support to books than a completely flat base would.

The upper portion of the base 11 is provided with a pair of side flaps 20 and 21 which extend parallel to the side edges 17 and 18 from the top edge 15 down to lower edges 22, 23 which lie approximately halfway between the top and bottom edges 15 and 16. The exact length of the flaps 20 and 21 as well as the exact size and proportions of the base 11 may be varied to fit the circumstances. In a typical instance where a reference pamphlet 24 is printed with the same. size pages as the book 25 to be studied, the flaps 20, 21 are the same length as the page height and their edges 22, 23 lie somewhat above center to give a little clearance between the book 25 and pamphlet 24.

The flaps 20, 21 are made Wide enough to hold down those pages 26, 27 of the pamphlet 24 that are not to be used during the study period. This keeps them from being distracting. For example, in Bible lessons that are studied every day for a week, only the pages 45, 46 to be used that week are not placed under the flaps 20, 21. They are left above the flaps 20, 21, because when the flaps 20, 21 are wide enough to hold down all the other pages satisfactorily, these side edges 28, 29 of flaps 20, 21 will tend to cover some of the printing on the pages 26, 27.

The margin flaps 20, 21 may be made of separate cardboard strips 30, 31 covered by portions 32, 33 by bookbinding cloth that are continuous with that used on the back (lower side) 34 of the base 11. Each flap 32, 33 may cover both sides of its cardboard strip While a portion'35, 36 thereof forms a hinged connection with the base 11.

The margin flaps 20, 21 are kept in place on top of the base 11 by two tabs 50, 51 which project from the back 34 and extend beyond the top edge 15. These tabs 50,

3 51 are folded over the top edge of the flaps 20, 21 and glued to the upper surface thereof (Fig. 5).

A pair of corner pieces 40, 41 which may be triangular pieces of the same book binding materialare secured at each corner of the top edge 15 by gluing tails 42, 43 thereof to the back 34 of the base 11. "Since the corner pieces 40, 41 are not attached to the upper face 44 of the base 11 or to the flaps 20, 21, a means is provided for holding down one or two pages of the pamphlet. Thus the pages 45, 46 being used can be held down without obscuring any of the reading matter, and it becomes easier to turn the pages 45, 46 being used without disturbing the pages 26, 27 that are not being used during-thatv study period.

The lower half of the base 11 is unencumbered by any flaps, so that the book 2'5'being studied can rest in an open position. The weight of its pages helps to keep it open, and the free hand can turn the pages of the book 25 and hold them open, if needed.

In actual use, the reader opens his reference pamphlet 24 to the desired pages 45, 46 and then slips the other pages 26 and 27 under the side flaps 20 and 21. The free pages 45, 46 being used are held over the flaps 20, 21 by tucking on corner of each under the corner-pieces 40, 41. A page 45, 46 of the pamphlet 24 can be turned by removing it from one corner 41 and then tucking it under the other corner 40. When the pamphlet 24 is so placed, no pages will flip and cause the reader to lose his place.

With the pamphlet 24 in place, the reader may place a book 25 to be studied on the base 11 below the pamphlet 24. He may rest the device in one hand with one hand free to turn the pages, or he may rest the device 10 on his lap and have both hands available for finding citations.

When the reader has completed all the citations or references on the open pages in the reference pamphlet 24, he may turn to the next page by pulling the corner of the page to be turned out of the corner tab 41 and inserting it in the opposite corner piece 40. When he finishes his study, he may leave thepamphlet 24 in place for the next day, or remove it and keep it with the textbook. The device 10 consumes (takes up) little room and, being somewhat flexible, will be substantially flat during storage or packing, while the crease 14 will create the desirable dihedral during actual use and aid in holding the book 25.

To an individual who does a great deal of reading as directed by reference pamphlets, my device will be seen as a real advance over old methods and holders. The device 10 is light, thin, easily stored away between usings, and very inexpensive to purchase.

For people with physical disabilities requiring them to read in bed or a chair, my holder will be a great help. The advantage of one plane reading and referring cannot be overstated.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim: 7

1. A holder and study aid for a study textbook and a study-guide pamphlet giving a list of references to be looked up in the study textbook, comprising a stiff sheet having top, bottom, and side edges, with margin flaps along the upper part only of said side edges, for bolding down the bulk of the. pages of said pamphlet, and a pair of triangular corner pieces one over each said margin flap and held down at the corners where said side edges and said top edge meet, for holding said pamphlet open at a desired place, with those pages to be turned during use being tucked into said corner pieces when the reading matter therein will not be obscured, the unencumbered lower part of said stifr sheet serving as a lap support for said study textbook and keeping the textbook and pamphlet close together for ready reference and use together.

2. A holder and study aid-fora study textbook and a study-guide pamphlet giving a list of references to be looked up in the study textbook, comprising a stiff sheet having top, bottom, and side edges and upper and lower surfaces, flexible sheet material covering said edges and surfaces and having flaps alongthe upper part only of said side edges, stiffening members covered by said fiaps and hingedthereby to said stiff sheet on the upper surface thereof, the stiffened flaps thereby being adapted to hold down the bulk of the pages of said pamphlet, and a pair of triangular corner pieces of said fiexible sheet material adhered to said lower surface only, one over each said flap at the corners where said side edges and said top edge meet, for holding said pamphlet open at a desired place, with those pages to be turned during use being tucked into said corner pieces when the reading matter therein will notbe obscured, the unencumbered lower part of said stiff sheet serving as a lap support for said study textbook and keeping the textbook and pamphlet close together for ready reference and use together.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said stiff sheet is provided with a slight dihedral. whose apex lies midway between said side edges, extending from the top edge to the'bottom edge. 7

4. A citation pamphlet and study-book holder including in combination a semi-rigid rectangular substantially flat board, having flaps extending from each side edge, and running down the side edges from the top edge to the middleofthe holder so that a citation pamphlet may be placed on the upper half, with the pages held open to the desired page or pages by the flaps, while the book being referred to is resting on thelower half of the board.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Abbott Aug. 13, 1957 

